What's this then?

This is a new 6.5-litre, 65-degree V12 engine, designed and built by Cosworth, for Aston Martin. It's going to be fitted to Aston's forthcoming Valkyrie hypercar. That car, designed in part by legendary F1 car designer Adrian Newey, needs an appropriate powerplant, and by gum it looks like Cosworth has come up trumps.

The new, naturally aspirated, engine is actually a stressed member of the chassis, and is bolted directly to the main carbon fibre tub, just like in an F1 car. Yet it weighs a mere 206kg, thanks to having components - including the conrods, pistons and crankshaft - milled from solid, rather than assembled from parts.

Power? How about 1,000hp at a heady 10,500rpm, with an 11,000rpm redline? With 740Nm of torque. If you're thinking that might sound rather good, it does. In fact, it sounds almost exactly like a 1990s F1 engine. It will also get some battery hybrid electric assistance, so the Valkyrie will be faster even than 1,000hp might suggest it is. In fact, the target is for it to be as quick as a Formula One car around a circuit.

Bruce Wood, Cosworth Managing Director, said of the project: "Being asked to create a naturally aspirated V12 engine fit for what will surely be one of the most iconic cars of all time is an immense source of pride for Cosworth. Decades in F1 taught us to expect a pretty demanding specification from someone with Adrian Newey's unsurpassed track record, but when we started talking about specifics of power, weight, emissions compliance and durability combined with ever harder and sometimes conflicting targets, we knew this would be a challenge like no other. It's been a fantastic partnership between Aston Martin, Red Bull and Cosworth with each party bringing a distinct clarity of vision that has proved essential in delivering an internal combustion engine way beyond anything previously seen in a road car application."

Dr Andy Palmer, Aston Martin Lagonda President and Group Chief Executive Officer, said of the Aston Martin Valkyrie's V12 engine: "To anyone with a drop of petrol in their blood, a high-revving naturally aspirated V12 is the absolute pinnacle. Nothing sounds better or encapsulates the emotion and excitement of the internal combustion engine more completely. Despite the apparently insurmountable challenges it presented, there was never any question that the Aston Martin Valkyrie would make do with anything less. From the outset the team at Cosworth were unflinching in their commitment to achieving benchmarks which pushed the boundaries of the possible. The result is a quite extraordinary engine. One which I doubt will ever be surpassed."